A particular example of the state of the art with respect to suction gas distribution in a parallel compressor assembly is represented by WIPO patent publication WO2008/081093 (Device For Suction Gas Distribution In A Parallel Compressor Assembly, And Parallel Compressor Assembly), which shows a distribution device for suction gas in systems with two or more compressors, the teachings and disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference thereto. A particular example of oil management in systems having multiple compressors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,228 (Suction Line Flow Stream Separator For Parallel Compressor Arrangements), the teachings and disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference thereto.
In a refrigeration system, when distributing oil from one compressor to another in multiple-compressor systems, the amount of oil distributed is dependent on the oil available to be drawn into the opening of an oil-supplying compressor such that the oil can then be distributed to one or more oil-receiving compressors in the refrigeration system. When oil is circulated and returned to the oil-supplying compressor, the oil may run down an interior surface of the oil-supplying compressor housing such that the oil is presented prematurely at the opening of the oil-supplying compressor. As a result, oil may be distributed to oil-receiving compressors when it should remain in the oil-supplying compressor. It would be desirable to have an apparatus and method to prevent these occurrences.
Embodiments of the invention provide such an apparatus and method. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.